MLB: ***Official 2019 Chicago Cubs Season Thread***

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CyJack13

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May 21, 2010
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Well to be fair they did have to trade away the farm to win that WS in 2016 and I still don't regret them doing that because with the drought they had going on you had to go all in while you have the best shot to. They haven't done a good job drafting and developing pitchers but if you look at the position talent either on this team still or traded away they did do what they set out to when Theo gutted the mess that he took over which was load up on position prospects and fill in the pitching holes with proven guys either through trade or free agency. You always are going to miss on a few guys but overall they brought in a lot more impact players through the farm system than Jim Hendry did.

The one trade that it looks like we may wind up on the wrong side of was trading Eloy Jimenez for Quintana. Q just hasn't been the pitcher we hoped he would be while Jimenez could be a solid everyday outfielder. I get why they did it at the time, Q was cost controlled starting pitcher the Cubs needed but he just hasn't turned into the top half of the rotation guy he looked like he could be. Had they not won in 2016 I think I would be a lot more sore today about trading Gleyber Torres for a rental closer. Torres is going to be a pretty good player but at the time it looked like he was going to have no where to play without someone changing a position with Russell and Baez having a lock on the middle infield positions. He obviously would be the every day 2B on this team but at the time before Russell's downfall in order to make room for him Baez probably would have had to move to 3B and Bryant to the OF to make room for him when he was ready to come up.

The plan was to build the pitching staff with free agents and trades for a few years, which they did through some terrific trades (Hendricks, Arrieta) and signings (Hammel, Lester, Lackey). It was not to keep relying on trades (Quintana) and signings (Darvish, Chatwood) which have got worse and worse because of a complete inability to develop anything close to an impactful big league arm internally, or even a back end bull pen type. The Cubs have a bottom five farm system now, still nothing at all on the pitching front. The Cubs got Torres and Jimenez simply because they had money to spend in a year several other big market teams didn't in the international pool.

It's also not only about the trades you make, but the ones you don't. Overvaluing Schwarber and Almora has led to the Cubs having one of the worst OF's in all of baseball the last few years. It's extremely easy to find productive bats in the corner OF positions, but between Heyward's contract, and Almora and Schwarber's struggles the Cubs have barely got average value from any OF position. They turned Mike Montgomery, who was a solid spot and very good reliever into a guy the Astro's DFA'd. Obviously Theo is a better GM than Hendry, but Hendry and his love of guys with tools over polish led to Baez and Contreras. I'll be forever thankful for Theo for building the Cubs into a World Series winner but he has loss a lot of his shine over the three years since then. The Cubs looked like they were on the verge of turning into a dynasty in 2016, instead they're closer to an average team than the MLB elites just three years later, which was when Theo expected the team to be peaking.
 
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CYdTracked

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Mar 23, 2006
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The plan was to build the pitching staff with free agents and trades for a few years, which they did through some terrific trades (Hendricks, Arrieta) and signings (Hammel, Lester, Lackey). It was not to keep relying on trades (Quintana) and signings (Darvish, Chatwood) which have got worse and worse because of a complete inability to develop anything close to an impactful big league arm internally, or even a back end bull pen type. The Cubs have a bottom five farm system now, still nothing at all on the pitching front. The Cubs got Torres and Jimenez simply because they had money to spend in a year several other big market teams didn't in the international pool.

It's also not only about the trades you make, but the ones you don't. Overvaluing Schwarber and Almora has led to the Cubs having one of the worst OF's in all of baseball the last few years. It's extremely easy to find productive bats in the corner OF positions, but between Heyward's contract, and Almora and Schwarber's struggles the Cubs have barely got average value from any OF position. They turned Mike Montgomery, who was a solid spot and very good reliever into a guy the Astro's DFA'd. Obviously Theo is a better GM than Hendry, but Hendry and his love of guys with tools over polish led to Baez and Contreras. I'll be forever thankful for Theo for building the Cubs into a World Series winner but he has loss a lot of his shine over the three years since then. The Cubs looked like they were on the verge of turning into a dynasty in 2016, instead they're closer to an average team than the MLB elites just three years later, which was when Theo expected the team to be peaking.

I don't mind signing or trading for proven pitching vs developing it as long as you are drafting and developing impact position players. So many things can happen with developing pitchers especially with arm related injuries that you can usually move a good positional player through the minors quicker than you can a pitcher. I do agree about over-valuing guys like Schwarber, Almora, and I would even through Happ into that mix too. Could have netted a lot more trading any 1 of those 3 guys 2 or 3 years ago than you could now. Montgomery is a weird situation. We got pretty good run out of him and something is definitely off with him this season but yeah if they were going to trade him they could have got a lot more last year or before this season for him. I would be nice to develop more pitching within the system and the fact they have depleted the minors with MLB ready position players lately is just magnifying the problem more because no one was complaining when we were calling up big bat after big bat after the years that were contributing right away and we still had plenty of positional depth to come in the minors.

This offseason could be really telling about the direction Theo wants to go with the team because I think they could clear anywhere from 50-70 mil off the payroll if they just cut bait with everyone who is an outright free agent or non-tender under performing guys up for arbitration (Russell and would have been Carl Edwards too before he was traded.) It's obvious that 2B and everywhere in the OF is open for business to improve the offense. I doubt they can move Heyward without eating a ton of his contract but if you take away his price tag and look at the value he brings with his defense, in the clubhouse, and heck his hitting has even improved this year finally he is a serviceable starting OF. Can only hope Darvish stays healthy and keeps improving because that is another contract I doubt they could move either.

I don't know what you do with Schwarber, Almora, and Happ at this point because even if someone were to take all 3 in 1 deal I can't imagine you'd net much for prospects ready to contribute at the MLB level anytime soon so you either have to take on a bad contract for a more productive MLB player or a reclamation project for some guy needing a change of scenery. Regardless, Theo shouldn't have the excuse of a tight budget this offseason with as much payroll that is coming off the books.
 

CyJack13

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May 21, 2010
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I don't mind signing or trading for proven pitching vs developing it as long as you are drafting and developing impact position players. So many things can happen with developing pitchers especially with arm related injuries that you can usually move a good positional player through the minors quicker than you can a pitcher. I do agree about over-valuing guys like Schwarber, Almora, and I would even through Happ into that mix too. Could have netted a lot more trading any 1 of those 3 guys 2 or 3 years ago than you could now. Montgomery is a weird situation. We got pretty good run out of him and something is definitely off with him this season but yeah if they were going to trade him they could have got a lot more last year or before this season for him. I would be nice to develop more pitching within the system and the fact they have depleted the minors with MLB ready position players lately is just magnifying the problem more because no one was complaining when we were calling up big bat after big bat after the years that were contributing right away and we still had plenty of positional depth to come in the minors.

This offseason could be really telling about the direction Theo wants to go with the team because I think they could clear anywhere from 50-70 mil off the payroll if they just cut bait with everyone who is an outright free agent or non-tender under performing guys up for arbitration (Russell and would have been Carl Edwards too before he was traded.) It's obvious that 2B and everywhere in the OF is open for business to improve the offense. I doubt they can move Heyward without eating a ton of his contract but if you take away his price tag and look at the value he brings with his defense, in the clubhouse, and heck his hitting has even improved this year finally he is a serviceable starting OF. Can only hope Darvish stays healthy and keeps improving because that is another contract I doubt they could move either.

I don't know what you do with Schwarber, Almora, and Happ at this point because even if someone were to take all 3 in 1 deal I can't imagine you'd net much for prospects ready to contribute at the MLB level anytime soon so you either have to take on a bad contract for a more productive MLB player or a reclamation project for some guy needing a change of scenery. Regardless, Theo shouldn't have the excuse of a tight budget this offseason with as much payroll that is coming off the books.

Based on Theo’s free agent signings here, what makes you think having a lot of money available is going to help get this team back to an elite level? You can’t win through free agency in today’s game, you need to develop productive, impact players internally and the Cubs aren’t doing that.
 

psychlone99

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Apr 6, 2006
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Cubs crushing the ball.. right at the Brewers unfortunately.
Seems like there has been a lot of loud outs recently over the last few games. Hopefully, a sign that the offense is on the verge of a nice run scoring streak. That said, I've given up hope that this lineup is going to develop any consistency under Joe.
 
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CloneFan4

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Aug 5, 2010
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Took my dad to his first game ever yesterday. Could hardly believe he has been a fan for 49 years without being to Wrigley so I said we needed to change that. Had a great time even though the day trip from the QC was exhausting.

Saw multiple hawk fans wearing all hawk gear. Never seen a more obnoxious fan base. Put a Cubs hat (or brewers) on for ***** sake. Dad responded perfectly with "That's what happens when your identity as a person is attached to one thing."

And I'm 3-0 going to games when I dont take the gf. Should I just end it now?
 

dirtyninety

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Oct 6, 2012
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I love Heyward. He may be my favorite on the team......as much for his personality as his play.